Golf-tee.



L. WILUELLEN.

GOLF TEE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. I9l5.

1 1 52,649, Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

F62 FIGS T164 WITNESSES .5 Z IVEORI B 2 m ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE W. LUELLEIV, 0F MOUNTAIN LAKES, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 ROBERT H. DAVIS, 01? NEW YORK, N. Y.

GOLF-TEE.

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to golf tees of a novel character designed to replace the pinch of wet sand which is now'commonly used for lifting the golf ball abovethe surface of the ground before it is hit by the player. I am aware that it has been proposed to use tees made of paper or of rubber for this purpose, but these each have certain disadvantages which has prevented their widespread use.

In accordance with my invention I purpose making the tee of a substantially color less substance, preferably one which is readily frangible, and also preferably soluble in water. Such a substance is common gelatin. A tee made of this substance in accordance with my invention possesses certain very distinct advantages over the structures of the prior art. It is substantially colorless and therefore becomes practically invisible to the eye of the player when he is in position to hit the ball since the portion ofthe tee which is not obscured by the ball has no distinctive color to distract the eye of the player from the ball, and the color of the earth or grass will show through the tee.

This advantage is not possessed by paper or rubber tees since they are opaque and have a characteristic color of their own different from that of the surrounding grass or earth,

and also different fromthat of the ball so that they tend to leadthe players eye away from the ball when he is about to make a strike. A gelatin tee possesses the further advanta e that it is readily frangible so it will be roken into many. small bits by the impact of the golf club upon the ball. The

fragments of the tee are thus scattered over considerable area and do not litter up the ground in the neighborhood of the pointfrom which the ball is struck, nor do they continueto exist as objects of such size as to impede other players or distract the eye when driving. Another' highly desirable property possessed by gelatin is thefact that it is soluble in water so that the small fragments of the tee will immediately dissolve upon the first shower. or upon the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

Application filed March 24, 1915. Serial No. 16,547.

ground being sprinkled artificially. There is thus no accumulation of old and battered tees such as occurs when the paper devices are used. Incidentally it is to be noted that the gelatin when dissolved becomes a fertilizerand is a benefit rather than a-detriment to the surrounding course. In brief,

in contact with water.

.In the accompanyingv drawing, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a. golf ball-reposing upon one form of my improved tee. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views showing modified forms of the device, and Fig. 5 illustrates a blank. from which a tee such as that shown in Fig. 2 may be readily formed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 1 designates a hollow, frustoconical tee preferably constructed of gelatin so that it shall be substantially colorless, transparent readily frangible and -Water soluble. The top 2 is open as shown, forming an annular seat for a golf ball. 3. About,the lower or larger end of the tee I preferably form a short cylindrical flange 4, which is desirable in thatit makes the forming or, manufacture of the tee easier.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a somewhat modified form of my device in which there is a head 5, preferably integral with the remainder of the tee. This head is concave dius of curvature than the ball so that while it acts to reinforce the annular seat 2 upon which the ball is supported, and toprevent the. distortion of the seat, maintaining its circularity it does not come into contact with the surface of the ball comprehended within the periphery of the seat 2. If" the ency for the tee to adhere to the ball owing Fig.

with respect to the ball, and is of less ra to the fact that the weight of the ball would cause the somewhat flexible head to cling closely thereto and thus expel the air, forming, in effect, a vacuum cup. Either of these conditions would result in. a marked tendency for fragments of the tee to cling to the ball during its flight which, of course, would be fatal to the successful use of the device.

Fig. 4 illustrates a further modification, which is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, except that the side wall 6 of the tee is formed upon a curve instead of being frusto-conical.

It will be readily understood that the forms of tees already described may be molded so that they comprise a single. integral, seamless structure. However, in some cases it may be desired to furnish the tee in a fiat form, suoh'as the blank 7 shown on a reduced scale in Fig. 5. Owing to the adhesiveness of the gelatin when it is wet the golfer who is provided with such a structure as that shown in Fig. 5 need merely moisten either of the ends 8 and then cause the same to overlap, thereby forming a. hollow, frusto-conical device similar to that shown in Figs-1 and 2, except for the depending flange 4.

While I have illustrated and described only certain specific embodiments of my device, I appreciate that my invention is $115- ceptible of broad application, and I do not desire to be limited to the precise structure shown and described.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A golf tee composed of a water soluble material.

2. A golf tee composed of a substantially colorless transparent material.

3. Agolf tee composed of a readily frangible'sheet material.

4. A gelatin golf tee.

5. A golf tee composed of a substantially colorless, transparent water soluble material.

6. A golf tee composed of a substantially colorless, transparent readily frangible ma terial.

7. A golf tee composed of a readily frangible, water soluble material.

8. A golf tee composed of a substantially colorless, transparent readily frangible, water soluble material.

9. A golf tee composed of a substantially frusto-conical base, provided. with a reinforcing head having a greater curvature than "the curvature of the periphery of a golf. ball.

10. A blank for. forming golf tees comprising a fiat strip of material, adapted to form a frusto-conical surface when its ends are overlapped, said material becoming adhesive when moistened.

11. A golf tee composed of formed sheet material and being substantially frustoconical in form, the lower base being open and the upper base having a periphery adapted as a seat for a golf ball, said upper base being closed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing 

